The gaming event of the year takes place this weekend 7-9 July 2006 at Auckland’s ASB Stadium. More than 700 gamers will descend on the stadium armed with their PCs, Xboxes and gaming expertise to take part in a host of tournaments running from midday Friday right through to 2pm Sunday.

xLAN will host the New Zealand finals of the World Cyber Games, where a national team will be selected for the Games – the gaming Olympics – to be held in October in Monza, Italy. The Xbox 360 Project Gotham Racing 3 competition will be broadcast to the world via Xbox Live.

Xbox 360 has also got together with EA, Rockstar and Take 2 Interactive to put together a range of Xbox 360 tournaments.

Gamers can battle it out on the kung-fu game Dead Or Alive 4 or they can step into the ring with Fight Night Round 3.

There are hours and hours of freeplay on one of the many Xbox 360 IDUs and seminars on all aspects of gaming. Xbox 360 is bringing over Take 2 Interactive from Australia to give fans an exclusive preview, and a hands-on session with forthcoming smash hit game Prey and its incredible multi-player action.

Seats for the PC tournaments are now sold out, but gamers can still enter the Xbox 360 competitions. The entry fee is NZ$20 and to pre-register for the Xbox 360 competition players can email xlan@xbox.co.nz and must be aged 16 years or older, then turn up and pay on the day. Spectator tickets are available at a cost of NZ$2.